Why is there no section on safe horse riding routes and amenity areas for horse riding in the county plan? There is provision for walkers, climbers, cyclists etc but none for horse owners, leisure riders,rid ing schools or stables, professional horse trainers and breeders, or tourists. At the moment this situation has forced riders on to the roads and this is not sustainable and dangerous. At the moment I am trying to get the Road Safety Authority and Gardai interested in alerting drivers to horses on the road and they are being very amenable and have set up a safety campaign to inform drivers about approaching horses safely.
But they admit that there needs to be more green spaces and bridleways that horses can use - such as the UK have enshrined in countryside policy. Coillte seem to allow everyone in their woods only riders and as more people visit wicklow - particulary in the past year there are so many Irish people driving on rural roads and using rural and upland areas, an accident is waiting to happen.
There needs to be dedicated trails and tracks for horse riders to use. It is a multi million industry in Ireland and yet county councils fail to provide in public owned lands permission or routes for riders to use. This is of huge safety concern and needs to be addressed in the county plan
Suzanne Campbell